The Harvest Moon games are something special. They’ve developed a devoted cult following, which people who have never experienced the games may not understand. Especially since, on the surface, each game seems to be pretty much the same. Natsume obviously gets it, as the series is probably it’s best known property.

It’s only when you take a closer look at the Harvest Moon series that you appreciate what the games allow players to achieve. I recently had the opportunity to rent the Wii entry, Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility, and fell in love with the series again because of it.

So if you’ve never played the games and are wondering why people are drawn to them, here’s a brief overview of Harvest Moon‘s many charms…

Who here remembers Puzzle de Harvest Moon? I do – mainly because I had to review it. It received a 1/10. The dislike was fairly universal, as IGN gave it a 3.5 and GameSpot gave it a 4.0.

When rumors of Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming first surfaced, I, like much of the internet, hoped it was related to the DS game Bokujou Monogatari: Kira Kira Taiyou to Nakama Tachi, a slightly updated version of Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness. But now, that dream is gone.

Well, at least it’s mildly related to Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness (which was an amazing game by the way), 12 characters from that game star in Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming.

In Natsume’s defense, it does seem like the company has realized its folly with Puzzle de Harvest Moon…

2008 has definitely been a big year for DS otome (girl’s life/dating sim) games. Looking back, I can see at least eight recent games which fall solidly into the otome catagory. Plus, another – Vampire Night – is supposedly scheduled for December 2008. There’ve also been a few games released in North America which can even qualify as otome style games.

If you’ve been waiting until the holidays to start picking up your titles, you’re going to have some tough decisions to make. Plus, some of these games may be difficult to find, so you’ll want to order them early to make sure they arrive in time.

Here’s a quick compilation of all the recent otome games released, divided into English and Japanese so you can quickly jump to the section you desire

I’m so excited! The one game I wanted this month, Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, is finally out. Well, technically its been shipped out. Natsume’s latest portable farming adventure has been shipped to stores and should be available in a store near you soon. Its a farming/life simulation rated Everyone that costs $29.99. It also happens to be the first DS Harvest Moon that allows players to choose their gender in the beginning.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness finds your avatar shipwrecked on an island. Instead of panicking, your character and the other new inhabitants who ended up there in this twist of fate decide to make it their new home. You’re in charge of the farm (of course), and as you reach certain milestones, new villagers will move in…

Today (July 14, 2008) is the first day of E3, and Natsume is bringing it. It had previously announced that, in honor of the Harvest Moon‘s 10th anniversary, it would be releasing Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness (DS), Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (Wii), accessory kits, strategy guides and toys. Now, at E3, it has released more information on both games, plus character art, screenshots and a new trailer for the DS entry.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness is due out August 26, 2008. The character designs are similar to Animal Crossing for the DS, and the story starts out familiar. Players choose to be a boy or girl, and are then shipwrecked on an island. They, along with other shipwreck survivors, decide to stay there and make the island their home. Every action is executed with the touch screen, crops now each have specific care and weather needs and a better farm means more island inhabitants.

Title: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness Price: TBA System(s): Nintendo DS Release Date: TBA 2008 Publisher (Developer): Natsume (Marvelous Interactive Inc.) ESRB Rating: TBA Pros: Tons of villagers, rice is once again a crop, farming gets more in-depth and players have the option to play as a boy or girl. Cons: The music grates on more »